Storage and display rack



July 30, 1968 LAFF ET AL 3,394,820

STORAGE AND DISPLAY RACK Filed June 22, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l f 1512i/'h/ L 41:; 2 o 5 oz. TE/C HMflk/ 1 N VEN TORS 4 rroQA/E Y July 30,1968 FF ET AL STORAGE AND DISPLAY RACK Filed June 22, 1966 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FR EAJ LAFF 01. TElcH/wnn/ INVENTORS United States Patent3,394,820 STORAGE AND DISPLAY RACK Erven Latf, 337 S. Wetherly Drive,Beverly Hills, Calif. 90211, and Sol Teichman, 13512 Hatteras St, VanNuys, Calif. 91491 Filed June 22, 1966, Ser. No. 559,574 4 Claims. (Cl.211-475) This invention relates to display and storage racks forclothing and the like in which hangers are supported at their oppositeends by spaced parallel rails, and more particularly to improvements inthe form, arrangement and supporting means for such rails.

In the retail merchandising of clothing, and especially of mens andwomens slacks and shorts, a number of frequently conflictingrequirements are imposed on storage and display fixtures. With hundredsor sometimes thousands of garments on hand, the typical clothing storeor clothing department in a department store is always sorely pressedfor storage space. The storage fixture must permit the compact stackingor hanging of, large numbers of garments Without damaging or soilingthem. Anyone who has ever tried to examine or, worse yet, removed a pairof trousers from near the bottom of a stack of such garments stored on acounte-rtop recognizes the desirability of having storage means whichprovide for handy removal of all of the items contained in it.

Likewise, the desirability of having the largest possible number ofindividual garments openly displayed has long been known, The displayshould permit the maximum visibility of the greatest number of garments.

It is essential that any storage facility having display characteristicspermit the rapid taking of an inventory and refurbishing of stock whichhas been depleted. This in turn necessitates a construction whichpermits convenient access to all parts, of the storage device by theretailers employees. And the device must simultaneously provide equallyfacile access to the customer who wishes to examine and remove one ormore of the stored garments before deciding whether to make a purchaseor not.

In all but the most spacious of stores and departments, space saving isof cardinal importance. Both floor space and wall space are normally ata premium. Accordingly, any storage and display rack should provide forthe maximum utilization of the floor space and minimum use of wallspace.

It goes without saying that any structure used for supporting the greatweight of large numbers of garments must be sturdily constructed.Naturally, since it will be visible to customers and potential customersit must be at the same time attractive.

The modern trend in interior decorating of retail clothing stores andclothing departments is to attempt to change the appearance and decorfrom time to time. To permit such redecorating without the need forexpensive remodeling, it is highly beneficial for the storage anddisplay fixtures to be lightweight and fairly easily moveable. In thisconnection great advantage is to be gained by manufacturing the devicein modular form, so that several units may be combined in a variety ofoverall configurations.

The achievement of all of the aforementioned design features,characteristics and benefits, as well as many others which will becomeapparent from a reading of the following specification and claims is theobject of the subject invention.

Essentially the invention comprises a plurality of horizontally spacedupright hanger supporting units, each comprising a plurality ofvertically spaced horizontally disposed hanger supporting elements. Eachsucceedingly higher element is shorter than the element immediatelybelow it, and cooperates with a corresponding element on the nextadjacent support unit to furnish support for the ends of horizontallydisposed garment hangers. The supporting units may be constructed in avariety of forms. Each may have an upright stanchion, to which thesupporting elements are firmly attached, with its own floorstandingbase, or two or three or more may be combined in a modular unit havingthe spaced upright stanchions to which the supporting elements areattached connected to a more or less conventional enlarged basestructure. If desired, the supporting units may be cantileveredoutwardly from a wall or suspended from above by wires or the like, withtheir supporting elements maintained in position by a central rigidmember or a system of wires or guys, if necessary.

It is contemplated that many variations in the size, arrangement,proportion and construction of the several parts of the invention willoccur to the skilled artisan, and these may be employed Withoutdeparting from the scope or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of thedisplay, and storage rack of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the upperportions of two of the supporting units of the invention illustrated inFIGURE 1 showing the upper ends of their vertical stanchions, twocross-members, and two garment hangers;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of a modified form of one of thecross-members illustrated in FIG- URE 2, with a portion of one of thesegments cut away to show its internal structure; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the invention as illustratedin FIGURE 1, with a number of typical garments and their hangers shownin phantom as they might appear with the rack in use.

Referring to FIGURES l and 4, a base section 10 of generally rectangularconfiguration is formed of tubular members. Each side of base section 10has upper and lower supporting bars 12 and 14, respectively, supportedby side members 16. The structure is made rigid by provision of braces18 intermediate each side member 16. As will be seen, the dimensions ofthe base section 10 and the horizontal spacing between adjacent pairs ofbars 12 and bars 14 are dictated by the number of garments desired to bedisplayed and the length of the hangers used for supporting them.

Each side member 16 includes a foot 20 mounted on the portion of sidemember 16 which extends below the lower bars 14. The side members 16,upper bars 12, lower bars 14, and braces 18 may be connected permanentlyby welding, or demountably by any convenient releasable fastening meanssuch as nuts and bolts. If releasable means are used, the stability ofsection 10 may be enhanced by connecting the various members, bars andbraces in interfitting male and female relationships.

A plurality of hanger support units 22 are mounted on the upper bars 12.Each unit 22 comprises a mounting stanchion 28 and a plurality ofcross-members 26. The cross-members 26 in each supporting unit 22 areall of a different length, with the longest member being locatedadjacent the base section 10 and each upwardly succeeding cross-member26 being shorter than its lower neighbor. The cross-members 26 are fixedto stanchion 28 by welding or some other convenient means.

The spacing between adjacent pairs of units 22 is determined by thelength of the hanger 24 which is to be used for the particular garmentsstored and displayed.

Base section may be adapted to support any number of two or more units22, but for illustrative purposes three are shown in the drawing.

It has been found that a support unit 22 formed by mounting fivecross-members 26 varying in length from a maximum of about three feet toa minimum of about eight inches on a stanchion 28 about thirty inches inlength is usually quite satisfactory for the efficient storage andattractive display of mens trousers. However, the number ofcross-members 26 and their particular lengths and the length of themounting stanchions 28 are matters to be determined for eachinstallation.

Each mounting stanchion 28 is connected to a respective upper bar 12 ofthe base section 10, directly in line with a brace 18. Each hangersupport unit 22 is mounted so the cross-members 26 are generallyparallel to the upper bars 12.

Each cross-member 26 is constructed of parallel segments 30 of arelatively inflexible material in rod or tubular form, the spacingbetween the segments 30 being such as to allow the insertion of themounting stanchion 28 therebetween. To facilitate manufacturing, thesegments 30 of each cross-member 26 are preferably connected by endsections 32, thereby forming a sturdy and continuous unit. The segmentsmay, if desired, be of separate rod members and not connected exceptthrough mounting stanchion 28.

The cross-members 26 are preferably mounted at the mid-points of theirrespective segments 30 on their mounting stanchions 28, although suchneed not be the case. The tops of the corresponding cross-members 26 ofall of the hanger units 22 lie substantially in a pair of planesextending on either side of each stanchion 28. Though preferablyhorizontal, these planes may be inclined upwardly or downwardly from themounting stanchions 28 by the appropriate upward or downward incliningof the portions of segments 30 on one or both sides of stanchions 28.

Hangers 24 incorporate depending hook portions 34 at each of their endsto engage and derive support from cross-member segments 30 ofcorresponding pairs of cross-members 26 in adjacent supporting units 22.This configuration permits the hangers to be slid easily along theirsupporting cross-member segments 30 and to be removed and replaced witha minimum of effort.

The upper extremity of each mounting stanchion 28 is internally threadedas at 36 to receive and securely hold an advertising or display listholder, an ornament, or the like.

As is obvious from the foregoing, the display rack of this invention isof open construction, which allows for easy viewing of the garmentswhile they are being stored. Because the cross-members 26 of eachsupport unit 22 are arranged in upwardly diminishing lengths, asubstantial portion of those garments hung on hangers 24 locatedfarthest from a customer standing in front of the rack is clearlyvisible to him. If walking room is provided around base section 10, nogarment will be more than eighteen inches from a customer of averageheight. It each of the tiers is used to support garments of a particularsize, color or material, the customer approaching the rack will be ableto observe examples of each without so much as touching them, and thenremove the desired garment with its hanger from the rack for individualexamination and fitting. To return the garment to its place is simply amatter of slipping its lower end between the cross-members 26 andlowering the hanger 24 until its hooked ends 34 engage the adjacentsegments 30 of members 26.

FIGURE 3 illustrates an adjustable form of the crossmember 26illustrated in FIGURE 2. The segments 30 are not solidly connected attheir respective ends but left open. A frictional material 38, such asfelt or the like, is fixed to the interior of each open end of eachsegment 30' as shown in FIGURE 3. End section 32' is formed of smallerdiameter tubular material than segment 30'. The difference in diameteris just sufficient to allow segment 32' to be securely fitted into theends of segments 30', permitting longitudinal movement of end section32, yet maintaining a fiction-tight connection at all times. In thismanner the number of hangers which can be accommodated on eachcross-member can be varied as required.

The versatility and a number of variations of the invention will bereadily perceived from the foregoing description. For example, thenumber of garments on each of the cross-members 26 can be variedgreatly, as can the height and depth of each tier of garments, by theproper dimensioning and locating of the cross-members 26 themselves. Ifdesired, the garments may be displayed all on one cross-member 26 or ontwo or three tiers.

For greater flexibility in use, the supporting units 22 may be adaptedto permit the positions of cross-members 26 on stanchions 28 to beadjusted upwardly or downwardly. This may be accomplished by any of anumber of conventional means, such as constructing stanchions 28 inhollow tubular form, providing slots extending longitudinally in theirouter sides, and attaching crossmembers 26 to these sides by means ofbolts having their heads within the stanchions 28 and their shankspassing through the slots and holes tapped through the crossmembers 26at their mid points and releasably secured by nuts threaded to receivethem.

By effectively splitting cross-members 26 at the mid points of segments30, and permitting the two ends of each to be adjustable rotatably aboutmounting means such as the bolt-and-slot mounting arrangement justdescribed, the supporting means for hangers 24 can be adjusted upwardlyor downwardly, as desired, on either or both sides of supportingstanchions 28. With crossmembers 26 thus articulated, it may bebeneficial to provide hooks or stops at spaced intervals along thecrossmembers 26 to retain the hangers.

The base section 10 may be constructed to support any number of supportunits 22, or several base sections 10 may be connected, eitherpermanently or removeably, to form a large display and storage unit ofany required shape.

Furthermore, the rack of the invention may be constructed without theunitary base section 10 shown in the drawings. For certain installationsit may be advantageous to provide a plurality of upright stanchions 28utilizing their own independent bases or a modified supportingstructure.

As alternatives to a floor-resting support, the invention may employ asystem of ceiling supported suspension wires, or braces cantileveredfrom a wall, to support the hanger support units 22. The support units22 themselves may be of rigid construction, as depicted in the drawings,or suspended from above by wires or the like.

In light of the foregoing, it will be understood that the invention asshown and described is capable of considerable modification within thescope and meaning of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A storage'and display rack comprising:

at least two spaced hanger supporting units, each of said unitsincluding a plurality of vertically spaced horizontally disposed rigidcross-members comprising pairs of elongated parallel spaced rigidsegments of varying lengths arranged in upwardly diminishing order ofsuch lengths;

support means supporting said hanger supporting units and maintainingcorresponding pairs of said crossmembers in adjacent pairs of said unitsin substantially parallel coplanar relationship; and

hangers for garments comprising an elongated essentially rigid garmentholding element adapted to extend between corresponding pairs of saidcross-members, and having means at its extremities releasably engagingsaid cross-members for support. 2. The storage and display rackdescribed in claim 1 in which said cross-members further comprise rigidelongated end sections extensibly engaging the ends of said pairs ofsegments, and thereby permitting the etfective lengths of saidcross-members to be selectively adjusted and preventing said hangersfrom slipping over said ends; and means retarding the movement of saidend sections with respect to the ends of said pairs of segments. 3. Thestorage and display rack described in claim 1 wherein:

said support means comprise a base section of substantially rectangularconfiguration comprising a plurality of parallel spaced substantiallyvertical rigid side members, substantially horizontal spaced rigid upperand lower members securely connected to said side members, and rigidbrace members connecting said upper and lower members intermediate saidside members, and rigid upstanding stanchions securely connected to saidbase section at spaced intervals and maintained upright thereby; saidcross-members further comprise rigid elongated end sections extensiblyengaging the ends of said pairs of segments, thereby permitting theeffective lengths of said cross-members to be selectively adjusted andpreventing said hangers from slipping over the ends of said segments;and the segments comprising said cross-members are positioned onopposite sides thereof. 4. The storage and display rack described inclaim 1 wherein:

said support means comprise a base section of substantially rectangularconfiguration comprising a plurality of parallel spaced substantiallyvertical rigid side members, substantially horizontal spaced rigid upperand lower members securely connected to said side members, and rigidbrace members connecting said upper and lower members intermediate saidside members,

rigid upstanding stanchions securely connected to said base section atspaced intervals and maintained upright thereby;

said cross-members further comprise rigid elongated end sectionseXtensibly engaging the ends of said pairs of segments, therebypermitting the effective lengths of said cross-members to be selectivelyadjusted and preventing said hangers from slipping over the ends of saidsegments; and

said cross-members are attached to said stanchions at vertically spacedintervals, with the segments comprising said cross-members positioned onopposite sides thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,125,795 1/1915 Bazemore 211-177XR 2,706,563 4/1955 Larson 211 XR 2,839,200 6/1958 Easterwood 211182 XR2,842,268 7/1958 Gumplo 211175 XR 3,171,541 3/1965 Weisberger 211176 XR3,217,893 11/1965 Fleischman 211182 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 711,280 6/1931France.

ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner. W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A STORAGE AND DISPLAY RACK COMPRISING: AT LEAST TWO SPACED HANGERSUPPORTING UNITS, EACH OF SAID UNITS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLYSPACED HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED RIGID CROSS-MEMBERS COMPRISING PAIRS OFELONGATED RIGID CROSS-MEMBERS COMPRISOF VARYING LENGTHS ARRANGED INUPWARDLY DIMINISHING ORDER OF SUCH LENGTHS; SUPPORT MEANS SUPPORTINGSAID HANGER SUPPORTING UNITS AND MAINTAINING CORRESPONDING PAIRS OF SAIDCROSSMEMBERS IN ADJACENT PAIRS OF SAID UNITS IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLELCOPLANAR RELATIONSHIP; AND HANGERS FOR GARMENTS COMPRISING AN ELONGATEDESSENTIALLY RIGID GARMENT HOLDING ELEMENT ADAPTED TO EXTEND BETWEENCORRESPONDING PAIRS OF SAID CROSS-MEMBERS, AND HAVING MEANS AT ITSEXTREMITIES RELEASABLY ENGAGING SAID CROSS-MEMBERS FOR SUPPORT.